


Next Step

by afteriwake



Series: Lingering Winter [17]
Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 11:27:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now was the time to figure out where to take their relationship next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Next Step

Swords clashed against each other in the wooded area outside Seireitei. This was where they went to fight, when it was just them and when they didn’t want the 8th Division or the 11th Division breathing down their necks. They fought because they could, because it was a way to kill the time, and a way for Nelliel to grieve the loss of her friends. Or it had been, at the beginning. Now, though, he wasn’t quite sure why they fought. It had been two weeks since they’d been placed in ranking seats in their respective divisions, and this was the first chance they’d had to fight since then. But things seemed different this time

“Your arm seems fine,” Grimmjow said, pushing his sword flush up against hers.

Nelliel pushed back with equal force. “Yes, the healers did a good job. It’s nice to have it back.”

They both took a step back to catch their breath, both very much ignoring the things that had been said during the fight in Karakura Town. It was like an elephant in the room, but right now the focus was on the fight, not the words. It didn’t keep them from being in the back or their minds, however. And after a few more minutes Grimmjow had had enough.

“So,” he said, moving farther back to lean against a tree trunk. Nelliel moved closer, simply waiting. “You meant what you said when I dropped you off at the healing center during the fight?”

She looked at him and then nodded slowly. “Yes,” she said with a nod. “I think I do care about you.”

“ _Why me_?” he asked. “You had an entire division of guys who appreciated your looks and personality. I mean, your Captain’s always had his sights set on your Lieutenant, anyone could see that, but…why do you care about me? And if you tell me it’s because we’re the last Arrancar I’m going to fight you no holds barred.”

“No, that is not why,” she said, sheathing her sword. “You have changed, Grimmjow. Your time spent here…”

“Don’t say it’s softened me or any crap like that,” he said, narrowing his eyes. She smiled slightly, and then warm laughter bubbled up to the surface. He was slightly taken aback. Since she’d regained her adult form he’d barely seen her smile, and never heard her laugh. It was a nice laugh, too, but for the moment he was concentrating on the fact that she was laughing _at_ him, and that pissed him off. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“I’m not laughing at you, Grimmjow, I promise,” she said when the laughter died down. “I was simply going to say that you’ve…matured.”

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Want to explain that?”

“I don’t really know how, other than to point out that you’re no longer obsessed with being the best, with defeating Ichigo, with protecting your pride all the time.” She looked at him, the lingering effects of her good mood etched on her face. “Why do you care about me?”

He tried to look her in the face but found he could not. “I don’t know,” he said quietly.

“I can accept that,” she said with a nod. He looked up and he saw she was smiling at him. “I think that, maybe with time, you’ll be able to tell me why. But even if you can’t, the fact that you’ve admitted you do is enough for me.”

“Thought girls wanted romantic crap,” he said.

“We are not humans,” she said. “We have emotions and such, but we do not act like humans do because we aren’t. I admit that there are times that I wish I was human, but…” The smile dropped slightly. “I do not expect you to change all that much from how you are now, Grimmjow.”

“So what now?” he said, pushing himself away from the tree.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “I was thinking I could leave that up to you.”

He smirked at her slightly. “What makes you think I don’t want to do something that’s dirty to you?”

“What makes you think that I would object?” she countered.

He stared at her, openmouthed. “You’re serious? Isn’t this the part where people say they want to take things slowly? I mean, are you even sure that you care for me?”

She closed the distance between them, placing her hand on his chest and looking at him. “I care about you, Grimmjow. You do not need to think that I don’t.”

He nodded slowly. “So if I were to do something you wouldn’t object?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

He looked at her for a moment and then sighed. “You make the first move.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because I want to see what you want to do,” he said. 

“Then perhaps we should leave things up to you,” she said. “Because I’m not entirely sure.”

He pulled her in close and turned them around, backing them up until her was back up against the tree, and then he pressed himself against her and kissed her. It took her seconds to put her arm around him to keep him close, and he deepened the kiss almost instantly.

They only pulled apart when they heard someone clearing their throat. “What?” Grimmjow growled at the 9th seat in his division.

“Captain Kenpachi is looking for you,” he said nervously.

“Tell him I’m busy,” he said.

“It’s important,” the 9th seat insisted.

“What is it, exactly?” Nelliel asked, moving her head to look at the man.

“Lieutenant Kusajishi has…disappeared.”

“ _Again_?” Grimmjow asked, exasperated.

“There’s no sign of her reiatsu anywhere in Seireitei,” he said.

That made the exasperated look slide off Grimmjow’s face. “Wait a second. Didn’t Kenpachi say he could keep track of her anywhere she went?”

He nodded. “He’s asked everyone to look for her.”

“I think I know where she went,” Nelliel said, pushing Grimmjow away slightly to move by his side. “Has anyone checked the Shiba residence yet? She’s fascinated with Kuukaku Shiba, and has been since Ichigo brought her here last week to talk to Isshin.”

“We hadn’t thought to look there,” he said, bowing to her.

“I will go get her,” she said with a nod before turning to go back towards Seireitei. Grimmjow looked at his fellow division member, then at Nelliel and sighed, going off to follow Nelliel. She noticed him immediately. “You didn’t have to come along.”

“I wanted to,” he said. “Besides, I’m in her division. It’ll look good if I bring the little brat back.”

Nelliel looked over at him with a smile. “She could probably hurt you if you call her that to her face.”

“Madarame does it all the time, and she just bites his head. I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll call her a brat behind her back.”

Nelliel laughed again and waited for him to catch up. They didn’t say anything else as they got to the gate and left to go out into the Rukongai. They used sonido to get to the Shiba residence quickly, and saw a frustrated Karin outside. “Get her out of here!” Karin begged.

“You were right. This is where the little brat is,” Grimmjow said with a nod.

“She is downstairs?” Nelliel asked Karin.

“She’s eating all our food, and she’s so _hyper_ ,” Karin said. “Find a way to keep her from coming back, or I may just move in with Ichigo. Please?”

“Let me go get her and we’ll see what we can do,” Nelliel said. Karin let her in and the two of them went down the stairs.

After ten minutes Grimmjow could hear someone bounding up the stairs, and when the door opened Yachiru launched herself at him. “Grimmkitty!”

Grimmjow stepped out of the way and Yachiru landed by his feet. “Don’t call me that.”

“It’s time to go,” Nelliel said gently.

“Okay, Mask Head!” Yachiru said cheerfully, getting up. “Race ya!” And with that, she was off.

“How much sugar did she have today?” Grimmjow said as he and Nelliel sped off after her.

“Quite a bit,” Nelliel said. “Ichigo’s other sister seemed quite distressed at the lack of food in their house. I gather she’s been there since early this morning.”

“I’d only inflict that little terror on my worst enemies,” he said, shaking his head.

“I actually like her,” Nelliel said.

“You’re probably the only one other than Kenpachi.” He looked at her. “Guess we should catch up with her.”

“You’re probably right,” she said with a nod.

They sped up and nearly caught up with Yachiru before Nelliel stopped. Grimmjow stopped a few feet ahead of her and then walked back. “What?”

“About earlier,” she said.

He sighed. “Let me guess. You want to take it slow.”

“No, not exactly,” she said.

He looked at her. “What do you mean by ‘not exactly’?”

“I think we should spend more time alone together, away from everyone else. Will you be able to see me tomorrow?”

“I could see you tonight if you really want me to,” he said with a slight smirk and a lecherous look in his eye.

She looked at him and shook her head, though a slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Tomorrow will be fine.”

“Yeah, yeah, I can see you tomorrow. Same place?”

“I think that would be best.” She leaned over and kissed him on the lips softly. “Noon would be good.”

He watched her take a couple steps away before catching up with her, grabbing her arm. “I want a better kiss than that.”

She looked at him and the smile came out fully. “Then you’ll just have to kiss me yourself.”

“You’re going to be like this all the time, aren’t you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Perhaps,” she said with a slight laugh.

He grinned slightly. “I could get used to it.” He pulled her close and kissed her hard, and it only took a second for her to respond in kind. When he was done he pulled away and let go of her. “See ya tomorrow.” And with that, he took off towards 11th Division headquarters while she watched for a moment before heading off to her own quarters, humming quietly to herself.


End file.
